Treve all set for Vermeille test Criquette Head-Maarek believes Treve is "ready to fire" in the Vermeille at Longchamp today. The dual Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe heroine has had a perfect season to date, winning twice at Saint-Cloud, including a comfortable defeat of the classy Flintshire last time out. Her whole season has been built around an attempt to become the first horse in history to win Europe's premier race three times and while everything went wrong before the defence of her crown last year, this season it has all gone to plan. While it is billed as Arc Trials day, the Vermeille is a Group One in its own right and Head-Maarek will not be taking the opposition lightly. Arabian Queen, the only horse to beat Golden Horn, will be in opposition as well as Aidan O'Brien's Pretty Polly winner Diamondsandrubies and Francois Doumen's Sea Calisi, who finished third in the Yorkshire Oaks. "Of course I am looking forward to it, whenever she runs it is a big deal," said Head-Maarek. "But this is definitely not a trial, the Vermeille is a very important Group One in its own right. "She's in great form, she did he final piece of work earlier this week and everything was good." When asked if Treve was anywhere near her best form for this weekend with the Arc on the horizon, Head-Maarek said: "She's 100 per cent for this because she'll need to be 200 per cent for the Arc! "She's very well and ready to fire. "There's no doubt it will be a great race." Arabian Queen's owner Jeff Smith feels his filly has not received the credit she deserved for beating the Derby and Eclipse winner Golden Horn in the Juddmonte International last time out. David Elsworth's three-year-old was a Group Two winner last season and with a Group One to her name against the colts, she is a very valuable broodmare proposition for Smith, who has his own breeding operation. However, Smith is planning to keep her in training next year. "My interpretation of the York race was that there appeared to be no excuses," he said. "The experts see it differently, though, and believe everything bar the pacemaker ran a stone below their best! "We're going there in great heart and even if we get beaten by Treve, that will be no disgrace. She has to give us weight, though. "I just think this year we have an incredible crop of three-year-old fillies and the colts, especially the milers, are a bit suspect. "Who knows about the Arc if she runs well? She's not in it though so would have to be supplemented and that's a big decision. We were always thinking of the Arc next year for her. "She's got the race at Ascot as an end-of-season option and I've always thought that would be a lovely way to end the season." Another British-based challenger is Godolphin's Beautiful Romance, who faces a big leap up in class but she was a hugely-impressive winner of a Listed race at Windsor last time out against older males. Andre Fabre runs Al Naamah, a full-sister to Oaks winner Was, while Alain de Royer-Dupre is represented by Candarliya, on a five-timer but facing her first run at the highest level.
